Dido and Aeneas

I was reminded of Dido and Aeneas the other day. It the amazing baroque opera by Henry Purcell.  It was set to a wonderful short film by Gabriel Gauchet called Mass of Men.   The opera is a tradgedy and the music was used for a scene in a job centre where one of the staff had been attacked (possibly killed - we don't know) with a nail gun following the humiliation that claimants were put through and the inhuman sanctions placed on people for minor transgressions.  It was very effective although I  might have chosen a slightly different track.  Anyway, here is Ah Belinda.  It has a famous ground bass and is a great example of melismas and word painting.  If you are not used to opera, it grows on you with a few listens.